US Officials Set to Meet Saudi Defense Minister

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Facts

  • Top Biden administration officials, including US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, met with Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Washington on Monday.1
  • Although the visit came mere days after Israel expanded its ground operation into Gaza, sources said bin Salman's trip had been scheduled for a long time. The brother of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the highest-ranking official from the kingdom to visit Washington since Biden took office.2
  • Khalid bin Salman is expected to meet US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Secretary of State Tony Blinken, besides several senators.3
  • The White House and the Saudi Embassy in Washington have not commented on the meeting.4
  • During a call last Tuesday, Biden and Prince bin Salman discussed efforts to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from expanding. Saudi Arabia was one of several Arab countries to condemn what they consider 'flagrant violations of international law' in the Israeli offensive in Gaza.3
  • The prince's visit also comes days after Saudi Arabia said its air defense system intercepted a missile fired towards Israel by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen after the USS Carney shot down four other cruise missiles and dozens of drones.5

Sources: 1The Times of Israel, 2Newsnation, 3Reuters, 4FOX News and 5All Arab News.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by CATO Institute. It would be inaccurate to call Saudi Arabia one of the United States' most important allies. The reality is that this relationship is incredibly uneven, and the US often puts the interests of the Saudis above its own. The country's repressive regime, questionable budding relationships with Russia and China, and history of funding terrorism and starting humanitarian crises are all reasons the US should reevaluate its relationship with the Kingdom.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Gulf International Forum. Saudi Arabia is an important U.S. ally and is an important economic, diplomatic, and security partner in the Middle East. Maintaining this strong relationship is critical for global security, and while the US may not be able to stop the developing relationships between the Saudis, China, and Russia or the resumption of talks with Iran, it can help to influence the nature of these relationships and ensure they don't become a threat to American interests. The US needs to approach its relations with Saudi Arabia focusing on the bigger picture and looking towards the future instead of focusing too much on the current geopolitical situation in the region.

Predictions